Obsolescence is the New Black: Why Mechanical Keyboards Are Still Kicking Arse

Let’s talk about the relentless, soul-crushing treadmill that is “modern technology.” Every year, it’s the same old circus: new phone, new laptop, new smart toaster that’ll burn your bread and your dignity for only £299. The tech industry’s entire business model is built on making you feel like a relic if you’re not constantly refreshing your gadgets. Blink and suddenly your six-month-old device is about as cutting-edge as dial-up internet. It’s not just exhausting, it’s a bloody con.

But here’s the twist. While the world is busy queuing up for the next disposable rectangle, there’s one corner of tech that’s been stubbornly, gloriously, fantastically resistant to this cycle of planned obsolescence. Enter the good old mechanical keyboard. The stubborn mule of the tech world. The cockroach after the nuclear apocalypse. The one thing that, despite endless waves of “innovation,” refuses to die (or even get boring).

You want lifecycle? Let’s talk about Hall Effect switches. These aren’t some TikTok-fuelled innovation cooked up by a marketing interns wet dream. No, these beauties date back to the 1960s, when computers were the size of your mum’s hatchback and had less memory than a goldfish. Hall Effect switches use magnets and sensors, not flimsy bits of rubber or haptic feedback that feels like a dying bee. They’re so robust that the bloody things are still working in cold war-era control rooms around the globe. And now, decades later, they’re making a comeback. Because it turns out, actual engineering beats hype every single time.

And what about the Cherry MX standard? Introduced in the 1980s, it’s become the cocky gold standard for mechanical switches. Linear, tactile, clicky, there’s a flavour for every kind of masochist. The MX stem is so ubiquitous that even the most unhinged custom board from some bloke’s garage in deepest darkest Peru will probably fit your GMK keycaps. Try that with your phone charger.

Meanwhile, the rest of the tech world is busy selling you “refreshes” that are just last year’s model with a shinier box and a slightly less useless camera. Mechanical keyboards? They’re the antithesis of all that. You can rebuild them, mod them, swap out switches, lube them up, solder, desolder, and repeat until either your fingers fall off or you finally reach that thocky zenlightenment in the sky. The community is obsessed with making things better, not just newer.

And let’s not forget the latest innovations, from hot swap sockets, wireless PCBs, per-key RGB, gasket mounts, to Hall Effect analog input. Newsflash part 2: most of this isn’t new. It’s old ideas, dusted off and given a fresh coat of excitement. Hall Effect? Already ancient as detailed before. Split layouts? The Cherry MX5000, Kenesis and the Datahand were doing weird decades before most of you were born. Even the customisation craze is just a throwback to the days when you could actually repair your own kit without voiding a warranty by breathing too hard.

There’s something almost rebellious about it. While the rest of the world lines up for whatever generic, soulless slab of plastic, metal and glass the big brands are hawking this quarter, the keyboard community is in the trenches, soldering, tinkering, and arguing about the merits of plate foam like it’s the meaning of life. It’s not about chasing the next big thing, it’s about making the thing you already have even better or trying a new thing. It’s about taking ownership, building a collection, getting your hands dirty, and refusing to be just another faceless consumer in the upgrade queue.

And let’s be really open, the big brands aren’t doing you any favours. They’ll slap a new coat of paint on the same tired design, throw in some rainbow LEDs, and call it “revolutionary”. Meanwhile, your custom keyboard is quietly outlasting, outperforming, and outclassing anything they can churn out. You don’t need a marketing department to tell you what feels good; you’ve got your own two hands for that.

So here’s the deal: lets keep the custom side of the hobby alive. Keep buying weird layouts, those beautiful stylish new boards, keep trying out that funky smelling lube, hunting down obscure keycap sets, and supporting the little guys who actually give a damn about what you type on. Don’t get sucked into the endless churn of disposable tech. Build something that lasts, something that’s yours, something that you actually want to see in your collection every day.

Because in a world obsessed with the next big thing, mechanical keyboards are living proof that the best things aren’t always new. They’re just built right, and built to last. So solder on, lube up, and keep the flame alive. The future doesn’t need to be disposable, and neither do you.